FAMILIES and traders have kicked plans for a controversial no-stopping Red Route into touch at a heated meeting.

Members of the Moseley and Kings Heath Forums gathered at St Columba Church, in Moseley Road, to discuss city council-led proposals for a Red Route, like the one in Stratford Road, along the A435 from the Haden Way roundabout to Maypole.

Coun Martin Mullaney, (Lib Dem, Moseley and Kings Heath) said the aim of the Route was to speed up bus journey times, reduce congestion and improve the quality of life for people and businesses in south east Birmingham.

But critics were set against the plan and demanded traffic calming measures instead.

The plans would see:

*Pavements narrowed to allow for new parking bays and extra on-street parking.

*Stricter enforcement of no parking in bus lanes.

*No loading bays for local traders.

*Restrictions on quick parking for cash machines.

*More disabled spaces constructed to make up for disabled parking restrictions.

*Private hire taxis to be restricted to a short stop area.

Coun Mullaney said: “A Red Route does not get rid of all on-street parking. We are not intending to do that.

“The route will provide money for Compulsory Purchased Land to build more spaces and tackle congestion along an extremely busy road.”

Many residents voited against the proposals, expressing concern at the proposed pavement narrowing and called for inventive traffic calming measures to tackle any congestion problems.

Shopkeepers in Sparkhill and Sparkbrook have been extremely critical of the Red Route in Stratford Road saying no-stopping restrictions had put off customers and hit trade.

If approved the proposals would not receive funding until 2012.

Transport West Midlands would help develop the scheme and transport firm Centro will apply to manage it.

David Isgrove, chair of the Moseley Forum, suggested plans for a continental-style Shared Space project in which all traffic signs and railings are removed as the route is shared evenly by vehicles and pedestrians.